Braiding-machine.



w. H. DUNKERLEY.

BRAIDIN G MACHINE.- APPL ICATION FILED APR. 8. 1916.

1 ,2 1 3 60 1 g Patented Jan. 23, 1917 ZdhiZcE/K specification.

y .The object of-the invention'is to provide a WILLIAM H. 'DUNKERLEY, orPATERSON, W- JERSEY.

fBRAIDING-MACHINE. I

' Specification ofLetters' Patent.

Application filed A ril s, 1916. Serial No. 89,767.

* To .all wlwni it cone 4%: 1 Be -it known that I,

at Paterson, in the county ,of Passaic and ing-Machines, of which thefollowing is a 1 10 machine for producing a braided annulus,

asia tire orlanalogous article, in continuous layers with a'coating ofrubber or thelike upon oibetween such layers, and also to 1 providemeans for supporting and rotating the annular form or core during thebraiding'operation, and for removing such core and its annulus after thebraiding and coatoperation is completed.

The accompanying drawings form a part of this specification and show anapproved form of the invention. v .Figure 1 is'a front elevation of, themachine, with a.portion of the driving mecha-.

nism omitted. Fig. 2 is a side elevation. Fig. 3 'isQ-a plan view partlyin horizontal section. Fig. is aface or side view showing. a'forni. orcore alone. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the table and raceways, showing theopening or channel through which the annulus and core are removedfromthemachine after the, completion of the operation.

same parts in all the figures.

A is the bed plate of the portedon a frame or standard B at one sideand--legs-APAE and having a table A abovejin'. which 1 are thecircularly-arranged serpentine raceways'a for the dolls or braiding'oa'rriers G G which .are traversed therein by the gearwheels C C andconnected mechanism' mounted between the table and bed plate, to theusual driving mechanism employed in machines of this character. 1

In the center of is an opening a within the circle of. the raceways, andboth are equipped witha removable portion carrying its part of theraceways and traversing mechanism, shown as a sector A which whenremoved ofiers 55. an opening-or channel reaching from the ILLIAM H.Donner- LEY, a citizen of the United States, residing ing p v heinvention consists in certain novel Similar letters-of referenceindicate the 4 machine, supand" operating in a manner similar the-bedplate and table exterior to the central hole a through which a core maybev introduced and removed with its braided covering. On the standard13' are two deeply grooved wheels B B mounted onshort horizontal shaftsB 13 extendmg through the standard, each carrying at its opposite end aworm-wheel B in mesh with a worm I) on a worm-shaft D by which thegrooved wheels are rotated.

In the upper part of the standard, and located centrally between thegrooved wheels 13 B below, is mounted a similar wheel or grooved rollerE carried on a stud E in a block E arranged to be movedvertically in anopening bin the standard and held in the desired elevated position by athumb-nut or handwheel E on the screw-. threaded end of the stud orshaft E. A spring E above the block'serves to press the latter and itsroller ently downward when the grasp of the han -wheel is relaxed.TherollerE. is rotated in unison with the rollers B 13 by means to bedescribed.

L is a drum mounted on the frame with liberty to revolve on a horizontalshaft L adapted to carry a webL of rubber wound thereon and deliver suchweb upon the Patented Jan. 23, 1917.

the latter and to be itself inclosed, by the succeeding layer braidedthereon, so that the annulus is composed of alternate layeggs of braidedfabric and rubber each a continuous layer.

The end of the web is attached to the first completed braided layer andis then automatically unwound and drawn ofl' from the drum as thebraiding operation continues.

The grooved wheels and roller support an annular form-or core in avertical position, and are so located relatively to the central openinga in .the table and bed plate as to permit the core whenrotated totraverse such opening with sufficient space betfiveen it inner surfaceand the standard to permit, the carriers C C to 'passfreely in theoperation of braiding a covering upon the core. Thecore M is shown as anannulus cut radially at two places m m and pro vided with hinges at M Mand is also cut diagonally as at m to permit the core to be partiallycollapsedor folded inwardly. It is held in the. distended condition byany suitable locking means, shown as a screw at M joining the beveledends at the d1-- ago'nal cut m this position on the grooved wheels B Bwhen the roller is released. The sector or removable filling-piece A isthen replaced, supported by its lugs A" A. and latch A,

with its traversing-gears in mesh and its portion of the racewaysmatching to those adjacent on each side. The braiding mechanism is thenset in motion and the core slowly rotated by means to be described, thusapplying a braided covering thereon. In the manufacture of tires thecompleted covering or layer is coated with rubber as above described,and another layer braided there-on which in turn receives a coating ofrubber, and so on until a suiiicient number of layers have been braided.to produce the desired thickness, the yielding rolleiyE correspondinglyrising and rotating in unison with the supporting rollers or wheels.

as the diameter of the braided annulus increases. The machine is thenstopped, the filling-piece A with its connections, removed, and theannulus withdrawn through the channel thus provided. The braidedcovering with its layers of rubber is then slit along the inner line ofthe annulus, the screw M removed to permit the core to be collapsed andwithdrawn; the cut edges of the annulus may be treated in any suitablemanner to preserve and shape them and the whole vulcanized to serve asthe body of a tire. In a tire thus maiuifactured the body is of uniformthickness throughout and the threads laid with equal tension, a resultwhich cannot be attained by wrapping bias strips of fabric upon anannular core as in the usual process. and the threads and rubber areincorporated into a homogeneous mass without air-spaces.

The braiding mechanism and the feeding or rotating means for the coremay be driven in any approved manner. As shown in the drawings. F is ahorizontal stud on which is mounted a driving wheel F carryin& a beveledgearwheel F in mesh with a sliding beveled Qearwheel G? splined on avertical shaft G below the stud F. On the shaft G is a gear-wheel G inmesh with one of the braiding gearwheels C to drive the braidingmechanism. and at its lower end is a beveled pinion G in mesh with abeveled gearwheel D on a worm-shaft D to impart the required slow motionto the grooved wheels B B which rotate the core.

The sliding beveled gearwheel G is raised to engage the beveledgearwheel F and thus revolve the vertical shaft- G, by a lever Hfulcrumed to the bed plate at it and having a handle H and an arm ll"extending upwardly and terminating-in a hook H adapted to be engaged bya swinging dog arranged therein to receive a braid J pivotedupon thetable A at 7'. When the lever is raised and the hook thus engaged andheld, the mechanism is driven, and when the dog J is swung to releasethe hook H the beveled gearwheel Grdrops out of mesh with the wheel Iand the mechanism stops. This release may be efiected by hand whendesired and may also be effected automatically by the descent of thetension weight C of any of the carriers C, which when thus permitted tofall by the breaking of a thread, will strike the dog J in traversingthe raceway adjacent to the latter, and move it suiiicientlyto disengagethe hook and thus stop the revolution of the shaft C. On the upper endof the shaft is a crank G 'by which the machine may be turned by hand inmaking any desired changes or adjustments.

The upper roller E is driven in the same direction and at the same rateas the supporting wheelsB B Any suitable gearing or driving means may beemployed to communicate motion to the upper roller; that shown consistsof a beveled gearwheel, as K on one of the shafts B in which meshes acorresponding beveled wheel K on a vertical shaft K carrying at thelower end a beveled wheel K in mesh with a beveled wheel K on ahorizontal shaft K" carrying on its outer end a beveled gearwheel Kmeshing with a corresponding wheel N on a vertical shaft N. The latterpasses through the laterally extended arms on the block E which serve asa retaining yoke for a worm 'N splined upon the shaft N so that the wormwill moye with the block and rise or sink on the shaft N whilemaintaining its engagement with a wormwheel E on the upper roller E Thegearing is so proportioned and arranged as to drive the upper roller inthe same direction and at the same speed as the supporting rollers B BThis arrangement permits the upper rollerE to rise as the annulusincreases in size due to the application of successive layers whilemaintaining the same speed as such annulus and thus tends to press theweb L of rubber smoothly and evenly upon the braided surface.

Although the invention is described as applied to the manufacture oftires it will be understood that any article of annular form may bebraided. and the core may be of any material. and constructed for removal from the completed article. or to remain permanently inclosedtherein.

I claim 11. In a braiding machine, a table having a central opening andraceways encircling such opening, braiding-carriers in such raceways,means for moving said braiding-carriers. means for supporting an annularcore passing through such central openin and III carriers,'wheels'supporting said core, means fber-u on said covering.'

a central opening and raceways encircling such opening,braiding-carriers in such raceways, means for moving said braiding-carj-riers, an annular core passed throughsuch central"-igpening andarranged to receive a" .45. braided covering applied bysa'id'braidingering applied by said braiding-carriers, and -means forapplying a web of rubber, to

such braided covering.

'l passing through such central openin .and 10 arranged therein to,receive abraide covering applied by said braiding-carriers, means forrotating such core, and means for applying a Web of rubber, tosuchbraided coverm a 3-. In a braiding machine, a table havin a central 0ening encircled by raceways an having-a c annel from the exterior ofsaidtable-to said central opening, means for supporting. an annular corepassing through 7'0 such'central openin and arranged therein to receiveabraide covering applied by 'a" series of braiding-carriers n saidraceways,

such channeladapted to" allow the removal of such covered core, andmeans for apply- 5' ing a web of rubber, to such braided covering.

the exterior of said table to said central annularcore passed throughsuch central braide' covering applied by said braiding for revolvingsaid wheels'and rotating said core, and means ior applyingaqwebofrubeels supportingsaid core, means carriers, w

said

for revolving said wheels and rotatin core, a roller arranged topress'sai yieldingly upon said wheels, and means for applying a 'web ofrubber, to such braided covering. l 6. In abraiding machine, atable'having a central opening and such opening,braiding-carriers 1nsuch raceways, means' for moving "said braiding-carriers, an annularcore passed througlnsuch central opening and arranged to recelve abraided covering applied by said braidingcarriers, wheels supportingsaid core, means for revolving said wheels and rotating said as saidwheels.

In abrai'ding machine, a table having acentral opening and raceways'encircling such opening, and having achann lv from' opening,braiding-carriers in such raceways, -meansfor movlng saidbraiding-carriers, an

and the movements of said brai openin landarranged therein to receive arlers, and means for applying a web 0 I such opening, 5. n a'braidingmachine, a table having v l l open1ng, braid1ngcarr1ers in such core vIopenlng wltha chann carriersin said raceways,

raceways encircling a webof rubber upon said core, a roller arrangedtopress said. core yieldingly upon said wheels, means for, ap-

in the same direction and at t e same rate 7 In a braldingmachine,atable having a. central opening and raceways encircling such opening,braiding-carriers in such race:

' ways, means for moving saidbraiding-carriers, an annular core passedthrough such -centraljopening and arranged to receive a" ,braidedcovering applied by said braidingcarriers, wheels supporting said core,means, {for revolving sald wheels and rotatin' said :core, a rollerarranged to press sai core 'yieldingly upon said .wheels, means forrevolving said'rolle'r. in the same direction and at the same-rate ofspeed assaid' wheels, and a drumadapted to carry aw'eb of rubher anddeliver such webupon said braided I braiding machine, a table having acentralopenin and raceways. encircling such'openin'g, braiding-carriersin suphraceways, means for movmg said braiding-car riers, an annularcore passed tbrough such central opening and arranged thereinto receivea braided covering appliedlby 's'aid braiding-carriers, wheels sup(posaid core, means for revolving sai whee .and

said core, automatically operated r stopping the rotation of said corerm" rubrotating means ,0

,ber to said braided'coverin'ga 9. In a central opening and racewaysencirc means for supporting an an through such central I t' adaptedtoapply a continuous brai ed covnu'lar core passing of rubber in;successive" layers upon said braiding machine, 'a'table 4 'ering. uponsai core 'in' successive' leyers', "and means for applying a continuousweb braided covering andalternating. with the layers of suchc'overin'g.- v i a 10. In a braiding ma'chine,-a support having anopening an raceways encircling said 1 from the exterior of saidsupportto said opening, braidingmeans for moving said braiding-carriers, an Iannular core passed through said opening and arranged therein to receivea braided covering aplied by said braiding-carriers, rotary'coresupporting means, and means for applying braided covering.

, In testimony that I claim the invention above set forth I aflix my 'siature.l, 7 W ILLI AM HJD ERLEY.-

